


Courage's Call

by holmes221b



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age II
Genre: Angst, Canon-Typical Violence, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, In the Fade
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-27
Updated: 2015-05-27
Packaged: 2018-04-01 11:22:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,144
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4017886
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/holmes221b/pseuds/holmes221b
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Gwendolyn Hawke, by defeating the Qunari attacking the city of Kirkwall, you have earned the title of Champion. With the authority of my position as seneschal, I name you Champion of Kirkwall."</p>
            </blockquote>





	Courage's Call

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by the Mage Champion armor.

Hawke was still standing by virtue of her infamous streak of stubbornness, as blood dripped from numerous cuts and slashes all over her body. Bruises were forming. too, and her left eye was quickly swelling shut from where the Arishok had punched her in the face.

But she had succeeded. She had defeated the Arishok in battle. She had proven herself to be what the Qunari called _basalit-an_ twice over.

The doors to the throne room swung open, and Knight-commander Meredith and First Enchanter Orsino entered the room, tailed by Carver and the other templars.

Hawke grinned, happy to see her brother still alive.

"Is it over?" the Knight-commander demanded.

The apostate turned her focus from her brother to the templar and nodded.

"Oh, it's over," she confirmed.

The nobles cheered, grateful to be alive. Hawke doubted they would change their ways in the slightest, though.

"Let's go, love," Anders whispered in her ear, "I want to take a look at you injuries in private, away from the templars."

Hawke nodded, but before she could open her mouth to reply verbally to Anders' request, Seneschal Bran stepped forward.

"Messere Hawke, you have saved the city of Kirkwall," he stated--and by the tone of his voice, it seemed as though the seneschal was surprised that she had done it--, "and there is certain protocol to be followed, in this situation."

"Oh?" Hawke asked, "What sort of protocol, Seneschal?"

Seneschal Bran glared at her for a moment before replying.

"In the Free Marches, dedication is rewarded," he answered, "the reward is the title of 'Champion'."

"Can the formalities wait until later?" Hawke asked, "I'm sure everyone here would like to tend to their injuries."

Seneschal Bran ignored her request.

"Gwendolyn Hawke, by defeating the Qunari attacking the city of Kirkwall, you have earned the title of Champion. With the authority of my position as seneschal, I name you Champion of Kirkwall," he announced.

All assembled cheered, though the Knight-commander's clapping was more for show than genuine.

And with that, protocol was satisfied.

* * *

Hawke made it as far as her mansion's front door before her injuries finally overcame her stubbornness.

Aveline caught her, and carried the apostate Champion inside, ignoring her own exhaustion and injuries.

"Put her in her bed, Aveline," Anders directed, "Merrill, Fenris, go to my clinic in Darktown and get my kit."

"I'll go with them," Varric volunteered, "In case of traps."

Anders nodded. "Go."

* * *

 

Varric led the way to Darktown, disarming traps laid to defend against looters and Qunari by terrified citizens of Lowtown and Darktown along the way. The dwarf also spread word of the Arishok's defeat at Hawke's hands as they went, confident that he would have quite the audience the next time he was in the Hanged Man telling his tales.

Merrill insisted that they stop and deal with any looters they encountered along the way to Anders' clinic, because "that's what Hawke would want us to do if she were here, so we should do it even though she isn't here with us now."

Fenris wasn't exactly happy with the idea, but he couldn't deny that Merrill was right, so he went along with her request.

* * *

Bodahn Feddic wielded a poker, ready to defend his son and Orana from any would-be looters.

Fortunately, it was Maric who came thru the door into the foyer first, as Bodahn swung the poker with enough force to cause serious injury had it been anyone else coming thru the door.

Maric barked and wagged his tail.

"Messere Hawke!" the old dwarf exclaimed, recognizing the mabari. "It is good to--"

Aveline barged right past him without so much as a 'by your leave', heading straight for Hawke's room.

"Messere Anders, what is going on?" Bodahn inquired.

"The Qunari attacked the city, but Hawke stopped them by slaying the Arishok," the healer replied.

"Is she...?" Bodahn asked, not daring to finish his question.

"Not likely," Anders assured him, "Varric, Merrill, and Fenris are getting my kit, they should be arriving shortly."

"Enchantment!" exclaimed Sandal in concern, as Aveline passed him.

"Mistress is hurt!" Orana exclaimed.

"Orana, boil some water," Anders directed Hawke's elven maidservant.

"Right away, Master," Orana replied, leaving for the kitchens to draw water.

Anders gritted his teeth He hated it when Orana called him that--he had yet to break her of the habit (Hawke hadn't had any luck herself, which told Anders just how deeply ingrained the habit of calling certain people 'Mistress' or 'Master' was in Orana's mind)--, but now was not the time.

Right now, he needed to focus on Hawke.

* * *

Anders' clinic was full of refugees, many of whom were injured.

"Where is the healer?" One of the men demanded of Merrill, Fenris, and Varric when the trio entered the clinic.

"He is in Hightown right now, tended to the wounds of the woman who saved us all from the Qunari," Varric replied, "He will return here as soon as he can."

"In the meantime, I can tend to injuries," Merrill offered.

"But you're Dalish," an elf objected, "Why would you do that?"

"Because it is the right thing to do," Merrill replied, before turning to Fenris and Varric. "Take Anders his kit."

"You sure, Daisy?" Varric asked, as she handed him Anders' kit.

"It's what Hawke would do," Merrill replied.

The dwarf nodded. "Let's go, Broody."

* * *

Aveline gently placed her friend down on the bed.

"I need to go back to the Keep," she said to Anders.

Anders nodded.

"Duty calls," he observed. "Go ahead. Bodahn and Orana will help me."

Aveline nodded, but didn't leave the room. It felt too much like failure to leave Hawke's side.

"Aveline, go back to the keep," Anders insisted, "We are safe here. You don't have to wait for the others to return."

Aveline sighed.

"I'll be back as soon as I am able to," the guard captain stated, before finally leaving.

* * *

The journey back to Hawke's mansion took less time, since there were a lot fewer looters to deal with. And no new traps to disarm, as well.

Varric knocked on the door, and Bodahn answered it so quickly that the rogue suspected he had been waiting by the door for them.

"Messere Anders is upstairs," Bodahn informed them, leading the way to Hawke's room, poker still in hand.

"Where is Aveline?" Fenris asked.

"She left to attend to her duties," Bodahn replied.

Fenris decided to stay downstairs and keep guard in case looters tried to enter the mansion, leaving Varric to take the healer's kit to him on his own.

* * *

Orana answered the door when Varric knocked.

"Master Varric," the elf stated.

"I have Blondie's kit, Orana," Varric replied.

"Come in, Varric," Anders called, not looking up from the gash on Hawke's arm he was cleaning as he spoke.

"How is she?" Varric asked as he came over to Anders to give him his kit.

"She has a concussion," Anders replied, "that's why she's unconscious. It's her most serious injury, I think, though breathing is going to be pretty painful for her for awhile."

"Daisy's covering for you in your clinic," Varric informed him.

"She's pretty good at healing injuries," Anders remarked, "I'm glad she's helping out."

"You should probably consider letting her do shifts at your clinic, Blondie," Varric suggested, "Daisy needs a reason to leave her house more often besides Hawke."

"I'll think about it," Anders replied.

Varric made a mental note to mention the idea to Hawke later.

Anders' hands glowed as he used his healing magic on Hawke to close up the gash.

* * *

Hawke stood in a strange forest. She knew she was in the Fade, but she was unsure of why she was in a forest.

She spotted a elven figure, and she walked over thru the trees towards them.

"Shemlen," the elf stated, "You do not belong here."

"Who are you?" Hawke asked.

"You do not belong here, Shemlen," the elf repeated.

"Yes, I _know_ ," Hawke snapped, "You mentioned that already. I can't just get up and leave, I'm currently unconscious."

"You are in danger here, Shemlen," the elf replied, "the longer you stay, the less chance you have of ever leaving."

Hawke thought of Feynriel. Was this elf a sominari like him?

"Who are you?" she demanded again.

The elf scowled at her, but did not answer her question.

"Leave this place, Shemlen," the elf warned her, "Or you will share my fate."

* * *

Anders couldn't magic blood into her veins, but he could tell that she was alright, that she hadn't lost too much of her blood. It was the concussion that had caused Hawke to pass out.

Varric watched quietly as Anders placed his hands on either side of Hawke's head and focused his healing magic to heal Hawke's head injury. Blue-white light shone around the healer's hands and around Hawke's head.

Varric prayed thatt there was no damage that Anders couldn't heal.

* * *

Merrill had never seen so many injured humans and elves in one place before, let alone heal so many injuries in one day. Eventually though, the injured stopped arriving in the clinic.

"Merrill? What are you doing here?"

"Tomwise? Why are you here?" Merrill asked, surprised to see the elf. He didn't look injured, either.

"Looking for a human apostate who runs a clinic here," Tomwise replied.

"Anders is healing Hawke right now," Merrill informed him, "I'm making sure everyone down here is taken care of."

"Is it true?" Tomwise asked, "Hawke really defeat the Arishok?"

Merrill nodded, adding, "She's been declared Champion of Kirkwall for saving the city from the Qunari."

"Always knew she'd achieve greatness," Tomwise observed, "Hawke was never one for having a quiet life."

Merrill nodded.

"That's Hawke alright," she agreed, "Taking care of everyone's problems, even when she'd rather not."

"Hopefully she can say no to things now that she's Champion," Tomwise remarked.

"I doubt it," Merrill replied, "Hawke's never been the sort to turn away from trouble."

* * *

_"Hawke!"_

The elf was gone, leaving Hawke alone in the forest.

_"Hawke!"_

And now Anders was calling her name..well, at least, it sounded like Anders was calling her name.

"Anders?" she called, just in case it was him.

Blue-white light engulfed her, growing gradually brighter and brighter until she could no longer see the Fade.

The brightness hurt her eyes, so Hawke closed them, plunging her vision into darkness.

The next thing she knew, her body throbbed with pain, like she'd been walking a long distance the previous day.

"Hawke. Open your eyes, love," Anders requested.

Hawke made a face before opening her eyes as requested.

Anders' hazel eyes were the first thing she saw. Hawke smiled.

"Hey, lovely," she greeted him.

"How do you feel?" he asked.

"Like I hiked to the top of Sundermount and back down in half a day," Hawke replied.

"That would be thanks to my healing," Anders remarked.

"I know, and thank you, Anders," Hawke replied, hoping to cut off the lecture.

"You almost _died_ ," Anders stated.

"But I didn't," Hawke pointed out.

"What were you _thinking_ , taking on the Arishok by yourself, Gwendolyn?" the Warden mage demanded.

_Uh oh, he's using my first name,_ Hawke thought.

Anders didn't wait for Hawke to answer before continuing with his lecture.

"You shouldn't have relied so heavily on your staff as a physical weapon," the mage lectured, "You are not a warrior, Gwen. You are vunerable to physical attacks."

Hawke sighed.

"Anders, I knew what I was doing," she assured him.

He scowled at her.

"I don't want to lose you, Gwen," Anders insisted, "At least now you have a title to protect you, but that title won't protect you from getting stabbed in the chest."

"That's why I don't usually fight Qunari one on one," Hawke pointed out.

"Sweetheart, you fight like you're a warrior when you're not," Anders countered, "You could at least learn rock armor."

"I told you, Anders, I don't like the idea of covering myself in rocks," Hawke reminded him.

"Then learn a shielding spell. Your robers are not armor enough to protect you in battle, the way you fight, Hawke," Anders insisted. "I don't want to lose you, not to death, not to the templars."

Hawke carefully shifted on her bed so that she could wrap her arms around Anders.

"You know what, how about I just get armor especially made for me. I have the money," Hawke suggested.

"What sort of armor did you have in mind?" Anders asked, curious.

"Something that'll protect me in battle like a warrior, but light enough to be worn by a mage."

Anders nodded.

"That would work," he agreed. "I'm sure Fenris could help with the design, if he's comfortable with thinking about Tevinter."

"Tevinter would have such things, wouldn't they?" Hawke remarked. "I'll ask him about it later, the next time I see him."

 

 


End file.
